Joel 2:21
New International Version
Do not be afraid, land of Judah; be glad and rejoice. Surely the LORD has done great things!

New Living Translation
Don’t be afraid, O land. Be glad now and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things.

English Standard Version
“Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things!

Berean Standard Bible
Do not be afraid, O land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things.

King James Bible
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.

New King James Version
Fear not, O land; Be glad and rejoice, For the LORD has done marvelous things!

New American Standard Bible
Do not fear, land; shout for joy and rejoice, For the LORD has done great things.

NASB 1995
Do not fear, O land, rejoice and be glad, For the LORD has done great things.

NASB 1977
Do not fear, O land, rejoice and be glad, For the LORD has done great things.

Legacy Standard Bible
Do not fear, O land, rejoice and be glad, For Yahweh has done great things.

Amplified Bible
Do not fear, O land; be glad and rejoice, For the LORD has done great things!

Christian Standard Bible
Don’t be afraid, land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done astonishing things.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Don’t be afraid, land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things.

American Standard Version
Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice; for Jehovah hath done great things.

Contemporary English Version
and does great things. So tell the soil to celebrate

English Revised Version
Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice; for the LORD hath done great things.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Land, do not be afraid. Be glad and rejoice. The LORD has done great things!

Good News Translation
"Fields, don't be afraid, but be joyful and glad because of all the LORD has done for you.

International Standard Version
"Stop being afraid, land! Rejoice and be glad, because the LORD will do great things.

Majority Standard Bible
Do not be afraid, O land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things.

NET Bible
Do not fear, my land! Rejoice and be glad, because the LORD has accomplished great things!

New Heart English Bible
Land, do not be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things.

Webster's Bible Translation
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.

World English Bible
Land, don’t be afraid. Be glad and rejoice, for Yahweh has done great things.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Do not fear, O land! Be glad and rejoice, "" For YHWH has exerted Himself to work.

Young's Literal Translation
Do not fear, O land! joy and rejoice, For Jehovah hath exerted Himself to work.

Smith's Literal Translation
Thou shalt not fear, O land; rejoice and be glad, for Jehovah magnified to do.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice: for the Lord hath done great things.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Earth, do not be afraid. Exult and rejoice. For the Lord has great esteem for what he has done.

New American Bible
Do not fear, O land! delight and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things!

New Revised Standard Version
Do not fear, O soil; be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things!
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice; for the LORD has exalted himself to do wonderful things.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
You shall not fear, oh Earth, dance and rejoice, because LORD JEHOVAH has been raised up to work!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice; For the LORD hath done great things.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Be of good courage, O land; rejoice and be glad: for the Lord has done great things.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Restoration Promised
20The northern army I will drive away from you, banishing it to a barren and desolate land, its front ranks into the Eastern Sea, and its rear guard into the Western Sea. And its stench will rise; its foul odor will ascend. For He has done great things. 21Do not be afraid, O land; rejoice and be glad, for the LORD has done great things. 22Do not be afraid, O beasts of the field, for the open pastures have turned green, the trees bear their fruit, and the fig tree and vine yield their best.…

Cross References
Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Isaiah 35:4
Say to those with anxious hearts: “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance. With divine retribution He will come to save you.”

Zephaniah 3:16-17
On that day they will say to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands fall limp. / The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Jeremiah 30:10
As for you, O Jacob My servant, do not be afraid, declares the LORD, and do not be dismayed, O Israel. For I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their captivity! Jacob will return to quiet and ease, with no one to make him afraid.

Isaiah 44:23
Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O depths of the earth. Break forth in song, O mountains, you forests and all your trees. For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and revealed His glory in Israel.

Isaiah 51:3
For the LORD will comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and melodious song.

Isaiah 54:4
Do not be afraid, for you will not be put to shame; do not be intimidated, for you will not be humiliated. For you will forget the shame of your youth and will remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.

Psalm 96:11-12
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea resound, and all that fills it. / Let the fields exult, and all that is in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy

Psalm 98:4-9
Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth—let your cry ring out, and sing praises! / Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, in melodious song with the harp. / With trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn shout for joy before the LORD, the King. ...

Isaiah 12:6
Cry out and sing, O citizen of Zion, for great among you is the Holy One of Israel.”

Isaiah 40:9
Go up on a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news. Raise your voice loudly, O Jerusalem, herald of good news. Lift it up, do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”

Isaiah 49:13
Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; break forth in song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people, and He will have compassion on His afflicted ones.

Matthew 6:25-34
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? / Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? / Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? ...

Luke 12:32
Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.


Treasury of Scripture

Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things.

Fear.

Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Isaiah 41:10
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Isaiah 54:4
Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.

be glad.

Psalm 65:12,13
They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side…

Psalm 96:11,12
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof…

Psalm 98:8
Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together

for.

Joel 2:20
But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.

Deuteronomy 4:32
For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it?

1 Samuel 12:16,24
Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes…

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Afraid Exerted Fear Glad Great Joy Rejoice Surely Work
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Afraid Exerted Fear Glad Great Joy Rejoice Surely Work
Joel 2
1. He shows unto Zion the terribleness of God's judgment.
12. He exhorts to repentance;
15. prescribes a fast;
18. promises a blessing thereon.
21. He comforts Zion with present,
28. and future blessings.














Do not be afraid
This phrase is a common biblical exhortation, often used to reassure God's people in times of distress or uncertainty. The Hebrew root for "afraid" is יָרֵא (yare), which conveys a sense of fear or reverence. In the context of Joel, this command is a divine assurance that despite the locust plague and impending judgment, God is in control. Historically, fear was a natural response to the devastation that the land of Judah faced, but God calls His people to trust in His sovereignty and provision.

O land
The "land" here refers to the physical territory of Judah, which had suffered greatly due to the locust invasion described earlier in the book. In Hebrew, the word for land is אֶרֶץ (eretz), which can mean earth, land, or country. This personification of the land highlights its central role in the covenant relationship between God and His people. The land was not just a physical space but a symbol of God's promise and blessing to Israel.

rejoice and be glad
These words are a call to celebrate and find joy in the Lord's deliverance. The Hebrew words שָׂמַח (samach) for "rejoice" and גִּיל (gil) for "be glad" are often used in the context of worship and thanksgiving. This dual command emphasizes a complete emotional response to God's intervention. Historically, such joy would be expressed in communal worship, reflecting a deep-seated trust in God's faithfulness.

for the LORD
The use of "LORD" in all capitals indicates the Hebrew name יְהוָה (YHWH), the covenant name of God. This name is deeply significant, representing God's eternal presence and unchanging nature. In the context of Joel, it underscores that the source of the land's restoration and the people's hope is not in human effort but in the divine action of YHWH, the covenant-keeping God.

has done great things
This phrase points to the mighty acts of God, both in creation and in the history of Israel. The Hebrew word גָּדַל (gadal) means to grow, become great, or do great things. It reflects God's power and majesty, as seen in His ability to restore what was lost and bring about renewal. Scripturally, this echoes other instances where God performed "great things" for His people, such as the Exodus. It serves as a reminder of God's past faithfulness and a promise of future hope.

(21) Fear not, O land . . .--The sentence of the reversal of judgment has gone forth, and all nature--animate and inanimate, rational and irrational--which had been included in the curse is summoned to rejoice in the blessing vouchsafed by the Lord.

Verses 21-23. - In these verses the land and beasts and men are addressed respectively. Thus the promise is fully developed. In ver. 21 the prophet summons the earth; in ver. 22 the beasts of the field; and in ver. 23 the sons of Zion; all are called to joy and gladness on account of the great deliverance from destruction which the Lord had wrought for them. They are all called on to rejoice in the great deliverance; the land, personified, is summoned to exult and rejoice for the great things God now promises to do or is doing to it. If the locusts had done great things in destruction, God will do great things in deliverance. The beasts are also personified, and forbidden to be afraid; for whereas they had groaned and cried for want of herbage when the pastures were burnt up, those pastures are now beginning to spring, and the fruit trees yield their strength. The children of Zion are invited to rejoice, not only in the delivered land, or springing pastures, or fruitful figs, or blooming vines, or other trees however useful or ornamental; but, as became them with their superior intelligence, in the Lord their God, as the Father of mercies and the Giver of every good and perfect gift, whether temporal or spiritual. At the same time, their temporal wants would be attended to, and their land fertilized by the suitable and sustaining shower. The prophet individualizes the earth, the beasts of the field, and the sons of Zion. Verse 21. - Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the Lord will do great things. The land had suffered severely from the drought connected with the locusts; but is now summoned to joy and gladness. The prophet assigns for this an appropriate reason: the locusts had done great things in damaging it; Jehovah now does great things in their destruction. When the earth clothes itself with verdure, and brings forth its fruits and flowers and various products, it is said, by a bold but beautiful personification, to rejoice and even exult. Thus the Latins said in like manner, Rident arva, ridet ager. Things are now reversed. Instead of mourning, is exultation; instead of mourning and its visible emblem in girding with sadness, there is joy and gladness; instead of the day of the Lord: very great and terrible or fearful, is "Fear not." Se-machi is fem. imper. Qal in pause for the ordinary simchi.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

be afraid,
תִּֽירְאִ֖י (tî·rə·’î)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

O land;
אֲדָמָ֑ה (’ă·ḏā·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 127: Ground, land

rejoice
גִּ֣ילִי (gî·lî)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 1523: To spin round, rejoice, fear

and be glad,
וּשְׂמָ֔חִי (ū·śə·mā·ḥî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 8055: To brighten up, be, blithe, gleesome

for
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

has done
לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ (la·‘ă·śō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6213: To do, make

great things.
הִגְדִּ֥יל (hiḡ·dîl)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1431: To grow up, become great


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OT Prophets: Joel 2:21 Land don't be afraid (Jl Joe.)
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